Siphon arch brick



Patented Sept. 27, 1932 narran srarns PATENT carica ALFRED H. WILLETT, OF WEST ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN ARCH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SIPHON ARCH BRICK Application filed January 26, 1931.` Serial No. 511,270.

This invention has reference to an improved form of brick for use in arches in fire boxes of locomotives equipped with internal water legs or siphons. These siphon walls are frequently found to be `further apart or closer together than construction drawings call for and it is the primary object of my invention to provide a brick which may be easily and quickly fitted between siphons withoutimpairing the provisions for holding it securely in position.

Y Another object of my invention is the provision of a brick which will permit of ready adjustment to variations in siphon spacings with the brick held securely in position.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a brick which may be easily centered between siphons and held securely in centered position. i

The foregoing, together with such other objects as may hereinafter appear I obtain by means of a construction which I have illustrated in preferred formin the accompany- Ving drawing, wherein 25 Figure l is a longitudinal section through a locomotive fire boX and the arch illustrating the manner in which my vimproved brick is applied;

Figures 2, 8 and 4 are transverse sectional views showing my improved brick applied to siphons of different spacings; and

Figure is a plan view of my improved brick.

The fire box here shown is provided with two longitudinal circulating elements 6 in the form of internal water legs or siphons. These siphons have a triangular portion 7, the upper edges of which are connected into and open through the crown sheet 8 and a forward extension 9 in the form of a tube which is connected to and opens into the throat sheet l() below the flue sheet l5. The contour of the tube 9 is carried to the rear in the Ylower portion of the triangular part of the siphon in order to provide shoulders l1 therein for the support of arch bricks. Y

The fire arch extends upwardly and rearwardly from the throat sheet 10' and at its forward part is supported on the tubular extension 9 in the same manner as the usual tube supported sectional arch.

The rear portion of the arch, however, must be supported by the shoulders 1l on the lower part of the triangular portion of the siphon and the brick supporting surface is materially reduced as compared with the tubular portion 9, dueto the fact that the flat plates 12 forming the walls of the triangular portion of the siphon are connected into what would be the upper part of the tube.

My improved brick is especially designed for use between such portions of the siphons. Thebrickl isof generally rectangular shape and has the lower end corners cut away atan angle to provide a slopingbearing surface 13 adapted .to engage the shoulders 11 of the siphon. The brick is also provided with two small positioning lugs 14 at each end., Thse lugs engage the flat plates l2 forming the walls of the siphon, thus centering the brick between siphons and preventing it from shifting sidewise and dropping onto the fire.

It has been fo-und that the spacing of the siphons frequently varies, however. In new locomotives the spacing between siphons may vary, owingto the inaccuracyof construction, andin locomotives in use the siphon spacing may vary somewhat, owing towarping ofthe plates. It is impractical for the railroads and builders to carry in stock bricks which would fit every variation of si` phon spacing, and I have devised my improved brick to meet this condition.

The lugs 14 which engage the plates 12, while vlarge enough to hold the brick securely in position, are of such size that they may be chipped away either partly or wholly in order to permit the brick to be used between siphons of diiferent spacing. This can be clearly seen from Figures 2, 3 and 4 where the brick is illustrated in position under three different conditions of siphon spacing. In Figure 4 the brick lits without chipping the lugs. In Figure 3 the lugs have been slightly reduced in size, and in Figure 2 the lugs havebeen entirelychipped away. In all three positions the bricks will be held securely against shifting sidewise, and owing to the sloping character of the bearing surface the bricks will engage the supporting shoulders 11 equally well in all positions.

In bricks without lugs, it is necessary for railroads to carry in stock quite a large supply of different length bricks, or to materiallyalter the shape of the end of the vbrick by chipping the whole end when the bricks are too large for the particular siphon spacing. There is also the danger that workmen, in order -to save time, may use abrick which is too small, i. e., one which would leave considerable space between the end of the brick and the side wall of the siphon, and in this case it is more than likely ythat the brick will shift sidewise, allowing one end to clear the supporting shoulder l1, in which case the Whole brick will fall .through'onto the fire.

My improved-brick overcomes the foregoing diiiiculties and ensures rapid and accurate fitting of the bricks securely in prop- Ver position.

It will be understood, of course, that my improvement is not confined to the use. of two lugs at each end-of the brick. There may be but one lug at `each `end `or there may be more than two, depending on the particular circumstances to be met. y It is also unnecessary Yto have the positioning lugs lat both ends of the brick and it may be desirable in some cases to use the lug .or lugs at one end only and confine all cutting of lugs to that end. It will also be understood that my improvement may be embodied vin the bricksextendling between the side wallof a locomotive kand the siphon, in which .case it would probably be desirable to have the lugs at the. end Vof .the brick which is supported by the siphon, ,although the lug may be used in this Vcase `at either or both ends. My improvement vwill be Yequally effective yin any of Ythe Vforegoing modifications.

I claim:

l. An arch brick for .siphon equipped lo comotive re boxes 4adapted to be fitted between and supported by the siphons, said brick having bearing surfaces at each end adapted to engage shouldered portions of Y said siphons and relatively small positioning lug means at each end of ksaid brick adapted to engage the kSiphon wall, said lug means being of such size as to be .easily .reducible .to permit of ready adjustment ofthe brick to different siphon spacings. Y

2. `An arch brick for ,Siphon equipped locomotive fire boxes adapted to be fitted between and supported by the siphons, said brick having bearing surfaces at each end .adapted to engage'shouldered portions of said siphons and relatively small positioning lug means at Leach end of said brick adapted to engage the Siphon wall, said lug means being of such size as to be easily reducible to permit `of ready adjustment of the brick to different Siphon spacings without impairing the support engaging bearing surfaces of said brick.

3.' An arch brick for siphon equipped locomotive lire boxes adapted to be fitted between and supported by the siphons, said brick having support engaging surfaces at each end thereof and relatively small positioning lug `means projecting from an end of said brick and extending beyond the support engaging surface thereof.

gaging surface thereof, said-lug means ibeing readily reducib-lein size to permit Aof Yready adjustment ofthe brick to different spacings of the support therefor.

5. An arch brick for siphonfequipped loco- -motive fire boxes adapted to be fitted between and supported by the siphons, said brick having. its lower end corners cutaway to provide .an inclined bearing surface ,at each end of the 'brick ,adapted to engage shouldered portions of said siphons and .relatively small positioning lug means projecting from an end of the brickand extending beyond the bearingsurface, Vthe said `lug means being adapted to engage .a siphon wall to retain `the brick in position. Y

, 6.. An .arch brick for .siphon equipped locomotive fire .boxes adapted to be fitted between and supported by the siphons, ksaid brick having its lower endV corners cutaway to provide Yan inclinedbearing surface -at each end of the brick adapted to engage shouldered portions of said ysiphonsand relatively small positioningY lug means projecting' from .an end 'of the brick Yand extending .beyond the jbearing surface, the said lug means being adapted .toengage a Siphon wall to retain the brick in position and Ybeing of such size as to be readily reducible in size in .order to permit of ready adjustment of the brick to different tube spacings. Y 1 Y 7 An arch brick for Siphon equipped locomotive fire boxes adapted to be tted between and supported by the siphons, said brick having bearing surfaces at each end adapted to engage shouldered portions` of said siphons and relatively small position- Ving lug vmeans at an end of said brick adapted to engage the Siphon wall, said lug means being of such size as to be easily reducible to permit of ready adjustment of the brick to different siphon spacings. 1

8. An arch brick for siphon equipped locomotive fire boxes adapted to be fitted between and supported by the siphons, said brick having bea-ringl surfaces at each end adapted to engage shouldered portions of said siphons and relatively small positioning lug means at an end of said brick adapted to engage the siphon wall, said lug means being of such size as to be easily reducible to permit of ready adjustment of the brick to different siphon spacings Without impairing the support engaging bearing surfaces of said brick.

9. An arch brick for Siphon equipped locomotive fire boxes adapted to be supported at one end by the siphon, said brick having a support engaging surface at each end thereof and relatively small positioning lug means projecting from an end of said brick and extending beyond the support engaging surface thereof.

10. An arch brick for Siphon equipped locomotive lire boxes adapted to be supported at one end by the Siphon7 said brick having a support engaging surface at such end and relatively small positioning lug means projecting from such end of said brick and eX- tending beyond the support engaging surface thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

ALFRED H. WILLETT. 

